Disk water-meter



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J. THOMSON.

DISK WATER METER. No. 520,197. Patented May 22, 1894.

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J. THOMSON. DISK WATER METER.

No. 520,197. Patented May 22, 1894.-

. V a J a 6 b 7 i s l v 81 12 .9 I ]f C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN THOMSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE NEP'IUNE METERCOMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

DISK WATER-METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 520,197, dated May 22,1894.

Application filed November 3, 1893- Serial No. 489,963- '(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN THOMSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvernents in Disk Water-Meters, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in water meters.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a vertical central section and elevation ofmy improved meter, of the disk system. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section onthe line A, but in which the upper section of the disk casing and thedisk are removed. Fig. 3 is a total bottom plan View of the meter. Fig.4: is a detached crosssection on the line B and representative of thesections on the lines 0, 0. Fig. 5 is a similar representation on theline D. Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the disk casing, taken on theline of the diaphragm, as E. Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional detail viewof the cap-thread; and Fig. 8 shows a modification in the attachment ofthe cap.

The first part of this invention consists in providing an annularpocket, or a series of pockets communicatingwith each other for thereception of gravel, dirt, (be. In general this feature is related toone of my present pending applications, Disk Water Meters, Serial No.482,769, but the specific improvement here presented is in designing themain casing 6, to provide an inclosed annular space J, K, surroundingthe periphery of the disk casing R, which space shall extend downwardly,below the lowermost edge of the disk casing, to form a well definedpocket or recess, as 9, below the level of the ports of the said casing,said pocket being divided transversely by shallow ribs 5 and having nocommunication with the spaces above and below the disk casing; thus,this annular pocket is sub-divided into a plurality of circumscribedWells or catch basins, so to speak, open at the top and disposed belowthe level of the inlet port of the disk casing. In this wise, if smallstones or gravel are rolled through the inlet pipe they will not in likemanner be rolled into the disk chamber, but by descending into thepocket will be entrapped thereby.

The second feature hereof relates to the circular vertical septum 10,situated in the receiving section of the annular space, one end of thisseptum, the end farthest from the inlet spud being fixedly secured tothe abutment 12, while the other end bears under spring tension, againstthe face of the abutment 13. The lower edge of the septum makesapproximately close contact with the horizontal face 15, of the maincasing above the pockets, but the upper edge is to be free of contactexcept where it may abut against projections both top and bottom as at16, Fig. 4, to limit its outer position. Thus there is provided a,narrow circular opening 8 at the top of the septum so that the inletfrom the pipe is forced first into the space J, as arrow 17, between theseptum and the wall of the main casing, thence rising and passingthrough the narrow slit, as arrows 18, whence and the wall of the diskcasing, as arrow 14, until reaching the full space K, as arrow 19, itpasses at reduced velocity to the inlet port S, and thence through thedisk chamber and out to the pipe. But an important operation of theseptum is yet to be pointed out, which is that in the event of thespacebetween it and the wall of the main casing becoming filled, its free endwill then be forced inwardly, as see dotted lines 20, by which actionthe flow from the pipe will pass directly between the edge of theabutment 13, and the outer surface of the septum, as see dotted arrow21, to the full space K, and thence to the disk chamber the septum thusacting as a spring valve. The important advantage derived from thedesign and disposal just described is that when the septum shallautomatically yield permitting the water to flow directly to the fullspace K nevertheless this deflection of the septum does not cause theaccumulated debris in the space J to be blown into the spaceK and thenceto the disk chamber. It will be observed that the free end 22 of theseptum is curved outwardly. The object of this is that when the flow isdirect as arrow 21, the current will be caused to impinge against theouter wall of the main casing, thus reducing the velocity of particlesliable to obstruct the disk and tending to their gravitation into thepockets provided therefor. Thus, in the device just described ampleprovision is made to guard the meter against accidental damage under allnormal conditions, while the well nigh universal objection to fixedstrainers, 2'. a, the liability to stop the flow even at the saving ofthe meter, is obviated by means of the automatic relieving action of theseptum. Obviously the septum may be perforated to act partially orentirely as a strainer.

While I have shown a yielding or spring valve between the inlet and themain passage K, it will be evident that other forms of valves may beused for closing a port or ports that will be opened automatically tosecure a direct flow only in case the normal or indirect passages becomeclosed.

The third feature of the invention is in the construction of the threadof the cap or head 23, and in the manner of supporting the disk casingthereon and in the construction thereof,whereby in event of the meterbeing frozen the threads of the cap will be stripped, the cap, the diskand disk casing will be blown out but without injury to the thread ofthe main casing or to the disk and disk casing. To form the male threadof the cap whatever the material, so that it will certainly yield underadefinite strain which shall not be sufficient to damagethefemalethread,lsimplycutanarrowgroove, as 24, Fig. 7, at the bottom ofthe thread of the cap. In this manner I but amplify in the thread thecondition of a beam supported at one end; so that the depth of thisspiral groove, the cross sectional area remaining constant, willaccurately determine the shearing strength of the thread, which willthus yield at the root, as h, when the thrust is as indicated by arrowm. To facilitate the removal of the stripped thread, and to also morecertainly insure that the thread shall entirely give way, the cap beingthus blown out clean, the thread may be sectional or m utilated as at25. In this wise the broken threads will be in sections to be readilyremoved, and it is preferable that the mutilation of the thread shall bein about three sections approximately as illustrated in Fig. 3, theobject of which is that if one segment yields the others are morecertain to immediately follow, as the removal of any one point ofsupport will transmit the entire load to the remaining two points ofsupport. I also call to attention that while the foregoingconstructions, either or both, may be applied to any form of thread, Iregard the ratchet form, when applied in the manner here shown, much thepreferable, as in this wise the pressure transmitted to the cap issustained on the flat surfaces of the threads; hence there ismuch lessfrictional adhesion than in a V-thread, an important advantage inremoving the cap. Moreover, when the cap is blown out the angularsurfaces of the threads permit the threads of the cap to clear or rollout of threads in the casing with little or no tendency to jam, all ofwhich may be clearly understood upon inspection of the enlarged crosssection of the thread of the cap and main casing, as shown most clearlyin Fig. 7. But,

that the cap alone shall be capable of being.

blown out is not sufficient to protect the internal structure of a meterwhen itis considered that the internal compression, or expansion, as thecase may be, if borne by the disk casing springs and distorts it, oftenrendering it unfit for subsequent use. This difficulty, however, isfully overcome in the present construction wherein the sections 26, 27,of the disk casing are not only held together but are forced to theirseat and bearing in the main casing by the flange 28 of the cap. Hence,if the water should first congeal in the space P, above the disk casing,the excessive pressure thereby exerted, due to the expansion offreezing, is transmitted through the disk chamber sections to the flangewhen the rupture of the thread not only relieves the pressure upon themain casing but forces the disk casing outward with the cap. Again, ifthe water within the disk chamber has solidified it will be seen thatinasmuch as the two sections of the disk chamber are not clampedtogether, except by the cap, they, too, are free to separate, as shownby dotted lines V, Fig. 6, without distortion, immediately the threadsof the cap are ruptured. It will be be evident that the parts of asectional casing of any desired form may be connected by weakenedthreads in like manner as body and cap sections. Should there be casesin practice, however, where the flange construction is preferred, thismay be readily met by such an arrangement as is shown in Fig. 8, thus,by cutting a groove, as 32, the cap and disk casing may be blown outwithout damage to any part excepting only the cap itself, as all thedetails and conditions remain as in the instance of the screw cap.

The concluding feature of this invention is in providing the cap with aconcentric series of pins 38, and in also providing the main casing witha series of pins 29, so disposed and arranged that the cap may bescrewed home or removed by the most simple appliances. Thus, say a screwdriver, a file or a rod may be utilized as a lever of greateffectiveness as indicated by dotted lines 30, Fig. 3. The pins of thecap which also serve as standards for the meter, are preferably spacedequi-distant, but the pins in the casing are spaced unequally, by whicharrangement a favorable bite is afforded at whatever position rotativelythe cap may be set.

While I have referred to the septum as springing throughout its length,except at the extreme fixed end, it will be evident that it maybe fixedthroughout the greater part of its length with a hinged section, wherethe end constitutes a valve closing the directport. Further while I havereferred to the sectional casing having one section weakened at itsconnection with the other as constructed for a water meter it will beevident that such casings may be used for water traps and other articlesliable to injury from freezing.

Without limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement ofparts shown and described, I claim-- 1. A main casing, an internal diskcasing provided with ports, an inlet to the main casing communicatingwith the closed circumferential chamber surrounding the periphery of thedisk casing, the said chamber provided with transverse ribsformingpockets situated below the level of the said port, all arrangedin the meter substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination with a disk casing, of the main casing having aplurality of circumscribed pockets open at the top, arranged exterior tothe periphery of the disk casing and disposed below the'level of theports in said casing, substantially as set forth.

3. A meter, comprising an external main casing having inlet anddischarge passages, an internal disk casing having inlet and dischargeports, the space between the main casing and disk casing beingsub-divided into two circular channels, one of which communicates withthe inlet passage of the main casing and the other with the inlet portof the disk casing, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with the disk casing and the main casing, having aninclosed annular receiving space around the periphery of the diskcasing, of an intervening septum dividing the said receiving space intocircumferential passages communicating with each other, substantially asset forth.

5. The combination with the disk casing and main casing of a septumbetween the two, a narrow passage above the top of the septum, and aspace or chamber outside of against normal pressure, substantially asset forth.

7. The combination with the main and disk casings, a septum dividing thespace between the two into two chambers, the outer chamber communicatingwith the main inlet port, and an abutment against which one end of theseptum bears, said septum arranged to move to and from said abutment,substantially as set forth.

8. The combination with the main casing and the disk casing of theclosing cap having its engaging threads mutilated, as 25, and also cutaway to form grooves, as 24, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

9. The combination in a casing, of two sections having engaging threads,the engaging threads of one section being ratchet form and cut-away-toform grooves 24, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. The combination in a meter of an outer casing consisting of twosections 6, 23, with engaging weakened threads and an inner disk casingin two sections resting upon the section 23 of the outer casing,substantially as set forth.

11. The combination with the main outer casing and the cap, of thedetachable disk casing comprising a plurality of free sections adaptedto fit a bearing within the main casing, the construction andarrangement being such-that the attachment of the cap to the main casingsecures the sections of the disk casing together and holds the diskcasing to its bearing, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

12. The combination with the main and cap sections of a casing onethreaded to fit the other, of projections upon each section as 38, 29,arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereofI have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of Witnesses:

lVIEYER KRASNER, JOHN MCKINNON.

